It is not just Germany that experiences constant change within the textile and fashion industry. That's why OLYMP responded to requests from retailers for a knitwear range to complement the four stylish shirt collections. The 2011/2012 season saw OLYMP Bezner GmbH & Co. KG launch its own supplementary range of top quality knitwear at an attractive price level. Since then items have been manufactured in considerable quantities every year and international demand is increasing apace. In the current 2012 financial year alone, approximately 200,000 items were sold in the first ten months of the year.
Mark Bezner, Owner and CEO of OLYMP Bezner GmbH & Co. KG from Bietigheim Bissingen/Germany says: "More than 1,000 of our existing customers added the new OLYMP knit-wear to their range of products when it was launched on the market. At the same time, the content of the collection and range of stock are becoming more extensive as demand increases. In addition to the current 2012 Autumn/Winter collection, we have launched our latest OLYMP Level Five knitwear, with body-fit cut pullovers to complement the body-fit cut shirts of the same name."
The new range of OLYMP knitwear went a long way to satisfying the requirements of retailers and consumers as soon as it was launched, as is shown by the gratifying sales figures. By taking the decision to extend the product range by adding its own stylish knitwear collection, OLYMP, an established manufacturer of high quality business shirts, polo shirts, casual shirts and ties, has taken a well-considered step forward by investing in the immediate future.
The investment in the technological knitwear expertise acquired to date and the qualified knitwear experts, including a self owned production site in Hungary, puts the whole company on a broader economic and market orientated footing. This is why OLYMP is also significantly extending the production and logistics facilities in Hódmezósvásárhely in Szeged/Hungary.
The building works associated with this product capacity expansion and the new yarn store should be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2013 at the latest. The investment in machinery and warehouse logistics for 2012/2013 in Hungary equates to approximately 1.5 million euros. The new logistics centre in Bietigheim-Bissingen is also due to be finished by summer 2013, requiring addi-tional investment of approximately 35 million euros. The planned increase in the production of knit-ted and woven goods correlates with the dynamic sales and business performance of OLYMP on the German and international clothing market. Overall, OLYMP is once again anticipating a high single-digit growth rate for sales.
The price structure of OLYMP knitwear is consistent with the current range. "We are very satisfied with the demand. The quality, fashion statement and cut have been extremely well received by both consumers and retailers," explains Mark Bezner.
In light of the anticipated cold weather in autumn and winter 2012/2013, the OLYMP warehouse and logistics centre in Bietigheim-Bissingen currently contains tens of thousands of knitted goods in various styles including V-neck pullovers, round necks and polo necks, as well as slipovers, cardigans, waistcoats and zipper jackets in pure Merino or cotton quality and fine cotton/cashmere or Merino/silk mixes, two cuts, fashionable colours and in sizes S to 4XL, all ready for retailers to call off at any time.
And should they wish to, retailers can already access Spring/Summer items from the full 2013 range in a variety of summer colours, enabling them to stock the sales floor with fresh colours for the all-important pre-Christmas business. The range includes, for example, fashionable pastel pinks and reds, gentle shades of green and blue, fresh oranges and yellows and smart neutrals. All orders received from retailers before 13:00 during the working week are shipped on the same day.
The special quality features of OLYMP knitwear include extra-fine quality, noticeable softness, reliable machine washability, fashionable and up-to-date cuts, together with exact mesh sizes for size definition, good shape retention and low-pilling properties.
